Concealed Carry permits took a big jump in the first quarter of 2016. According to Scioto County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Todd Miller, 354 new CCW licenses were issued, compared to 160 in the fourth quarter of 2015 and 155 licenses were renewed, compared to 137 renewed in the fourth quarter of 2015. One license was suspended and 3 applications were denied. In the fourth quarter of 2015, 2 licenses were suspended and 1 license was revoked.

Third quarter 2015 statistics showed 120 new licenses issued and 141 renewed with one suspended and one denied There was also one temporary emergency licensed issued. In the second quarter of 2015, 137 new licenses were issued with 191 being renewed, 5 suspended and 1 revoked.

To begin 2015, first quarter statistics registered 129 new licenses, 215 renewed, 2 suspended and 1 denied.

In order to obtain a Concealed Carry license you will need proof of your competency certification. Competency can be established by providing one of the following:

• A certificate of completion of a firearms safety course that was offered by or under the auspices of a national gun advocacy organization. A sheriff issuing a license must determine if an organization qualifies. The course must meet certain minimum educational requirements (See the section of this publication titled, “Minimum Educational Requirements” for additional information about the specific areas that must be covered in training.); or

• A certificate of completion of a class that was open to the public that used instructors approved by a national gun advocacy organization or Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission (OPOTC), or approved instructors of another state and was offered under the authority of a law enforcement agency of Ohio or another state, college, or firearms training school that meets the minimum educational requirements; or

• A certificate of completion of a state, county, municipal, or Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) peace officer training school that is approved by the executive director of OPOTC that complies with the law’s training requirements and meets the minimum educational requirements; or

• A document that shows the applicant is an active or reserve member of the armed forces, has retired from, or was honorably discharged, or is a retired highway patrol trooper, or is a retired peace officer or federal law enforcement officer and who, through the position, acquired experience with handguns or other firearms that was equivalent to the minimum educational requirements; or

• A certificate of completion of a class not otherwise described in this publication that was conducted by an instructor who was certified by an official or entity of Ohio, another state, the United States government, or a national gun advocacy organization that complies with the minimum educational requirements; or

• An affidavit from a qualified instructor that attests to the applicant’s completion of a course that satisfied the minimum educational requirements; or

• A document that shows the applicant has successfully completed the Ohio Peace Officer Training Program contained in ORC 109.79.